5 questions to answer during Calgary Flames training camp

Welcome to training camp week! The 2022-23 Calgary Flames made their official debut on Thursday and will play their first preseason games on Sunday. As one of the most intriguing camps in team history opens, here are five storylines to watch over the next three weeks.

Will Huberdeau play with Lindholm?

When Calgary acquired Jonathan Huberdeau in July, my first thought was that we would immediately push him into the team’s upper left wing spot alongside Elias Lindholm. I still expect that a few months later, but head coach Darryl Sutter has mentioned the need to find out if Huberdeau is better suited to play with Lindholm or newcomer Nazem Kadri.

I’m certainly wondering if we’ll see some experimentation in the early stages of camp. For example, a year ago the Flames started with Johnny Gaudreau in a row with Sean Monahan, while Matthew Tkachuk and Lindholm were in another. By game one of the regular season, the trio of Lindholm, Tkachuk and Gaudreau were poised to rock for an exciting year.

Does Sutter put Lindholm and Huberdeau on the same line from the start? Is that something that develops over the course of the camp? Or does the head coach think Huberdeau is better suited to flank another centre? I think a Huberdeau-Lindholm duo has amazing potential, but things don’t always go the way we think.

How do the rest of the forward groups come together?

With so many new faces in the forward lined up with two significant departures, the intrigue surrounding Calgary’s forward lineups is at an all-time high. The Flames are lower in the center than they’ve been in years, but there are a few things that need to be worked out on the wings. So I like the idea of ​​building around a few forward pairings.

Huberdeau-Lindholm
Mangiapane Kadri
Coleman-Backlund

From there, Calgary would have an opportunity to incorporate wingers like Tyler Toffoli, Dillon Dubé and even PTO addition Sonny Milano on different lines to see how things play out. But that’s just me; It seems everyone has a slightly different opinion on what they would like to see from the front groups, which will make a fun story to follow throughout camp.

Will MacKenzie Weegar sign an extension ahead of the season?

As Weegar adjusts to his new Calgary teammates, his contract status will likely be the biggest off-ice story of camp. I’ve been saying for a while that I believe a deal will happen, and I’m just as confident that it will happen. I know Weegar and his camp would like to sign long-term, and the Flames would like to lock down a key member of a franchise-defining trade.

So now we have two questions. What does this deal look like? Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested somewhere in the eight-year range last week at $6.5 million a week, so you have your lead. And when does the deal come about? I’m sure both sides would have liked to have it done before the regular season started, but that shouldn’t be a deal breaker on either side.

Who is Weegar playing with?

No team had the consistency in their defensive pairings as the Flames did last season. All three of Calgary’s regular duos made the top ten in minutes played together five-a-side, something no other team could match. That could happen again, but the addition of Weegar likely means changes in the top 4.

Hanifin-Andersson
Kylington-Tanev
Zadorov-Gudbranson

Body by body, the Flames search Weegar for Erik Gudbranson. But with no disrespectful intent, Gudbranson was perfectly placed on Calgary’s third pair. Weegar, on the other hand, is a true top 4 blueliner and should end up on the first pair or two. This raises some fun and intriguing questions.

Weegar is a right-footed shot who can play down the left, making him a little easier to pair with Tanev or Andersson. Does that mean Kylington falls on the third pair with Zadorov? If so, is Calgary comfortable with one of its third D-men being flagged for offside? How much did Tanev support Kylington last year? And how does PTO Michael Stone, a real marksman himself, fit into the equation? Can’t wait to see how that plays out during camp and possibly the regular season.

Is a prospect pushing for game time?

The Young Stars Classic is wrapped up for 2022 and now we’ll see if any of the team’s prospects can carry momentum from Penticton to main camp. Jakob Pelletier, Cole Schwindt and maybe Walker Duehr seem to have the best chances to fight for a place, but it won’t be easy.

After a lukewarm start, Pelletier had what I think was his best game to wrap up the Young Stars on Monday. Schwindt and Duehr, on the other hand, were both calm and effective in all three games. But with Milano and Cody Eakin coming to camp on PTOs and a reported signing of Brett Ritchie, the competition for NHL roster spots is heating up.

One guy I’m watching: 2020 first-round pick Connor Zary. I don’t think there’s a way for Zary to get the big team out of storage, but I thought he was the best Flames prospect for the weekend in Penticton. Zary seems to have made a move for this season, and if he can carry that to main camp, we might get a long glimpse of him before he inevitably starts the season with the AHL Wranglers.